Water meters used to measure water consumption are often mounted in a water pit. Information can be relayed to and from a water-pit-mounted water meter by radio frequency telemetry, using an automatic meter reading (AMR) device.
FIG. 7 depicts a water meter 106 and an AMR device 104 mounted in a water pit 107. The AMR device 104 can be suspended from the underside of a lid 105 used to cover the water pit 107, by a suitable means such as a retaining cap 109. The lid 105 usually has a hole formed therein that permits an antenna 128 of the AMR device 104 to extend through the lid 105. It is believed that maximum signal transmission and reception for the antenna 128 is achieved when the antenna 128 is oriented in approximately the manner depicted in FIG. 7.
AMR devices such as the AMR device 104 are sometimes mounted remotely from the water meter 106, e.g., on a wall near the water pit 107. Alternatively, the AMR device 104 can be mounted on the water meter 106 itself, using a mounting bracket. Positioning the antenna 128 of the AMR device 104 in the optimal orientation depicted in FIG. 7 is necessary when the AMR device 104 is mounted on the wall or the water meter 106, to achieve maximum signal transmission and reception.
The AMR device 104 can be wall-mounted using a two-piece housing. A first part of the housing can be fastened to the wall. A second part of the housing, having the ARM device 104 mounted therein, can mate with the first part using suitable mating features. Alternatively, the AMR device 104 can be mounted on the water meter 106 using a housing configured to mate with an adapter ring secured to the water meter 106.
Utilizing a housing suitable for both wall mounting and mounting on the water meter 106 can present difficulties. In particular, the features used to mount the housing on a wall can potentially interfere with the features used to mate the housing with the adapter ring on the water meter 106. Moreover, housings suitable for mounting the AMR device 104 on a wall or on the water meter 106 are usually unsuitable for use with AMR devices configured for use in water pit 107 as depicted in FIG. 7.